Centre 42 » Boeing Boeing https://centre42.sg Thu, 16 Dec 2021 10:08:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.30 BOEING BOEING by Wild Rice https://centre42.sg/boeing-boeing-by-wild-rice-2/ https://centre42.sg/boeing-boeing-by-wild-rice-2/#comments Mon, 04 Sep 2017 08:37:37 +0000 http://centre42.sg/?p=7102

《启航了，驾驶员呢？》

Reviewer: Neo Hai Bin | 梁海彬
Performance: 1 July 2017

第四度在新加坡重演的“Boeing Boeing”，改编自1960年的法国喜剧。该剧在健力士记录被列为搬演最多次的法国舞台剧，还曾被拍成电影。野米剧场把法国剧本本土化，是一种再度创作。

把外语剧本土化不失为一个聪明的选择，观众既可以欣赏该剧的精髓，也因为剧作贴近自己的生活经验而容易认同、代入。这样的叙事方式为原剧本产生了不一样的意义，也影响观众对剧本的理解和表达。当观众能够对照不同的文本，也就产生了“阅读”／“观看”的趣味，和不一样的可能性。

要重现“Boeing Boeing”这样的经典剧，借一句剧中台词—— 很不简单！（“It’s not easy!”）；然而—— 再借一句台词—— 也不是不可能的！（“It’s not impossible!”）。只要抓得住剧本的要求，就能够抓得住一般观众的情感和反应。这趟班机已经第四次在本地启航，我好奇的是，野米剧场这次为什么要观众随着他们搭这趟班机？在娱乐效果上，它满足了观众，但是导演的声音呢？导演对该作品有什么样的审视、批判、或观点？观众再次踏上航班，可以有什么新的刺激、领悟、感受？

当野米剧场把经典剧《不可儿戏》搬上舞台，并一律用男演员演出，那是导演对经典剧的重新诠释，也是导演和经典剧的对话。观众也因此有了新的解读视角，重新认识经典剧，也重新审视自己的认知。“Boeing Boeing”少了这样的对话空间，观众也少了重新诠释的可能性，颇为可惜。

作为野米剧场的经典作品之一，“Boeing Boeing”毋庸置疑是一出成功的喜剧，这从当晚观众的反应可看得出来。我却希望下一趟Boeing航班能够带我到一个我未曾见过的领域，让我的想像力能够驰骋；让我从可预料的艺术创作中脱离，得到新的刺激、惊喜、和启发。

Do you have an opinion or comment about this post? Email us at info@centre42.sg.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Boeing Boeing by Wild Rice
23 June – 22 July 2017
Victoria Theatre

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

梁海彬目前是「九年剧场演员组合计划」的创建及核心组员。他写的文字亦收入在：thethoughtspavilion.wordpress.com。

]]> https://centre42.sg/boeing-boeing-by-wild-rice-2/feed/ 0 BOEING BOEING by Wild Rice https://centre42.sg/boeing-boeing-by-wild-rice/ https://centre42.sg/boeing-boeing-by-wild-rice/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2017 04:08:39 +0000 http://centre42.sg/?p=7489

“Boeing Boeing“

Reviewer: Selina Chong
Performance: 27 June 2017

Boeing Boeing sets a clear flight path: to entertain the audience. That it does effortlessly. Having staged Boeing Boeing three times before, Wild Rice is an old hand at this. While every iteration is just a little different from the previous, by and large, the antics and jokes remain the same. In these economically and politically turbulent times, Boeing Boeing is a familiar and comforting experience.

The premise is simple: Bernard has three girlfriends, all flight attendants. He carefully maintains a calendar to keep them all happy and happily far apart. The troupe is completed by Rosa, Bernard’s long-suffering domestic helper, and Robert, Bernard’s university mate. What can possibly go wrong? Lots, obviously. Expect madcap antics, slamming doors, lots of running around, and more slamming doors. It’s clear that countless hours were put into rehearsals – the comic timing of the entire cast is impeccable.

Director Pam Oei’s familiarity with the material shows: the comings and goings of the different characters have been choreographed to metronomic accuracy and the flurry of feet and slamming doors keep the comedy rolling at a steady pace. She creates sufficient tension to keep me invested in what happens, but not so much as to curtail my enjoyment of the production. However, I also expected more from a female director helming the production for the first time. The 2017 iteration of Boeing Boeing is no less misogynistic than its predecessors, and that disappoints me slightly. The female characters are little more than tropes – whether they are materialistic like Ms SQ, or hopelessly in love and naïve, like Ms Air China.

That said, as with all farces, we’re not expecting enlightenment or great insight in Boeing Boeing. That is not at all to suggest that the production is not sharp: a standout line for me was when Rosa declared she’s more than a woman, she’s a domestic helper. While hilarious, the line also reflects an aspect of Singapore society that’s much less funny. The strength of Wild Rice’s production of Boeing Boeing is the authenticity of its adaptation to local contexts. Oon Shu An’s Ms SQ is everything I’ve thought about Singapore at various times: seductive, attractive, fervently nationalistic, flagrantly materialistic, and pragmatic to a fault.

2017 is fast shaping up to be the year Wild Rice gives new wings to old productions. This year, they are restaging La Cage Aux Folles, Boeing Boeing, and Grandmother Tongue. Both La Cage and Boeing Boeing are easy on the palate – the former boasting song and dance amidst spectacular backdrops, the latter a very accessible piece of comedy. Yes, it is true theatre does not always have to deliver hard-hitting truths and explore complex issues. At the same time, I can’t help wondering what Wild Rice’s choice of productions to restage suggests about audiences in Singapore and what attracts people to the theatre in Singapore.

Do you have an opinion or comment about this post? Email us at info@centre42.sg.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

BOEING BOEING by Wild Rice
23 June – 22 July 2017
Victoria Theatre

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Selina loves the theatre and its ability to engage, enrapture, and entertain. The magic of the stage never ceases to create joy and wonder for her. The potential of the theatre to educate also dovetails with her teacher duties and she wishes more young people had time to watch a show instead of attend another tuition lesson.

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